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All posts for the day Pebrero 9th, 2015

These days, candle light offerings are only usually done during special occasions or for daily light offerings.Photo was uploaded from Google Images.

I totally debated whether to write this post or not, because I can’t seem to find the actual story on the net, however, I thought I will because it is substantiated by similar stories.

It is said, that another passenger was supposed to be on the TransAsia Airways Flight GE235, however 20 minutes before he was about to check – in at the TransAsia Airways check – in counter at the airport, he received a call from one of his biggest clients. Apparently, they talked for quite some time, and since the matter was considered to be quite important he decided to cancel his flight.

The rest is history. Because of that he was saved from the tragic accident that could have cost him his life or at the very least give him a very traumatic experience.

What saved him? Chance? Pure luck? But what is luck anyway? Do we create luck?

If you asked the mom, she would say that it was the Buddhas that saved her son. The mother, being a devout Buddhist would always go to the temple to donate an annual light offering. This is so that images of the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas will have a light offering 24/7 for one whole year. The mom shares that she usually do this on the first day of the Chinese New Year, but on that day, something prompted him to got to the temple and make the annual light offering ahead of the Chinese New Year, and she also decided to dedicate the merits of the annual light offering to his son. When she and her son got to talk about it, they realized it was at the time that she was making the annual light offering that her son also got the call! Unbelievable?

The truth is I have been trying to look for this particular news on the net, but I can’t seem to find it. Maybe it wasn’t considered major news, but a Buddhist monk, showed me the news on YouTube. But it’s in Chinese. For readers in Taiwan, you might have heard of this particular story.

I decided to write about it anyway because I totally believe this is true and it can be substantiated by other similar stories.

Light offering is a very common practiced amongst Buddhist. There is the daily light offering, weekly, monthly and annual. It is believed that one gets a lot of good luck or good karmic merits if one offers light to the Buddhas. This is why most Buddhist homes will have an artificial candle on their altars. But if one sincerely offers light to the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas or Deities or Arhats in the temple, it is believed that this merit is doubled because most temples rely on donations.

If you sincerely offer light to Buddhas at the temple, you will get merits that will bring you good life, good health, wealth, and peace of mind.

Nowadays, artificial light are used. You can see the smaller lights lighting the image of the small Buddhas, those are usually for annual light offerings. using artificial light does not make the act less powerful. It’s the sincerity that counts.

As I mentioned I decided to share this story even if I don’t have the necessary links or pictures to prove it because I totally believe that the story is entirely possible but more than that there are other stories that can substantiate it. Let me share one here.

IP, is a 58 years old housewife, mother, and grandmother. She has a good life and practically has everything that she has or want and can never ask for anything anymore. All her children are well educated and are very respectful towards her. In fact, when she never prays to the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas for anything anymore, because she believes to ask for more is an act of extreme selfishness. But everyday she chants the mantras to dedicate its merits to other people and to give thanks for her good life.

However, one day bad luck indirectly happened to her, the doctor told her daughter who was pregnant that she will have to terminate her pregnancy because of some complications. If she doesn’t terminate her pregnancy, she might die. According to her it’s not a choice between mom and baby because the baby will surely die anyway. Her son – in – law decided that she will save his wife and encouraged IP’s daughter to terminate the pregnancy, but IP’s daughter decided that she wants to keep the baby and in the process risk both their lives. The doctor then again reiterated that it’s not a choice; the baby will die no matter what.

IP was leaning towards encouraging her daughter to terminate the pregnancy because she doesn’t want to lose her. However, the Buddhist in her doesn’t believe in mercy killing, but neither does she want to lose her daughter. But everybody else in the family, especially her son – in – law has decided to let her daughter to terminate the pregnancy, and it is only IP (having second thoughts) and her daughter who doesn’t believe in terminating the pregnancy. Please note that the daughter was firm in her decision and IP was more or less torn on what to decide.

Another sample of the light offering.

IP decided to consult a Buddhist monk, this particular monk believes that IP and the baby inside her are both repaying a bad karma that they did in their past life. It is because of this decided to offer light to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of various temples, and she dedicated all the merits of this act to her daughter and most especially to her unborn grandchild.

Slowly, the doctors of her daughter became puzzled because they were absolutely sure of their findings, but as time goes by the prognosis becomes better. The baby in the stomach is now a 13 – year – old boy, and IP and her whole family believes that it was the merit of the light offerings that IP did that saved her grandchild and daughter. By the way, one of the doctor who was a born – again Christian before slowly turned into Buddhist and now goes to the same temple where IP and her family goes.

I decided I want to share this story also because we should realize that although I’m a firm believer of the power of amulets or Feng Shui charms like the Vajrapani Ruel and a lot more, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas has provided ways for her to be able to tap into their blessings simply by showing our sincerity. Even without the Wish Fulfilling and Buddha’s Blessing Mantra Pendant, the Vajrapani Ruel, the various amulets, one can still create luck for oneself by sincerely offering sincere acts to the Buddhas.